Two Men Arrested for Murdering and Sacrificing Young Girl

Villagers presently living in relief camps hold their voter identity card and stand in a queue outside a polling center at Badimunda village, in Kandhamal district of Orissa state, about 300 kilometers (187 miles) from Bhubaneshwar, India, Thursday, April 16, 2009. The district witnessed large scale violence against Christians last year following the killing of a Hindu religious leader in August. Heavy security and special transportation arrangements have been made to enable as many as 3,000 riot victims, who are still in relief camps, to vote.

According to the Human Development report in Chhattisgarh: “80 percent of the population lives in rural areas, and 78 percent of total rural households are farmers. Of those farmers, only 1.5 percent of all farmers are familiar with modern agricultural practices.”

It also reports that “Small and marginal farmers constitute the most vulnerable group amongst the cultivators. With just one crop in a year and low productivity, their land is not sufficient to sustain their households.”

Hindus compose over 94 percent of the population in Chhattisgarh and AP reported the most of the people are tribal. Gondi is the largest tribe in Central India, which takes many of its beliefs from Hinduism.

The main occupation of the Gond people is agriculture and they have a belief in a number of Gods and Goddesses. They are known on some occasions, to practice animal sacrifice as part of some religious occasions.

In a study done by Human Development villagers agreed, “We need a cultural forum. We also want to change our rigid and incorrect customs. Training, exposure and information will help us in changing such traditions.”

In March, four were charged in Chhattisgarh for sacrificing a young boy on Mahashivratri, a Hindu festival, to obtain spiritual powers.